Steel caps for brake shoes

[JulianS]

From the Ferodo book, the linings for the 7 inch full width hub with non floating shoes are listed as 3/16 inch thick. The Linings for the same hub but floating shoes is listed as 5/32 inch thick.

I agree completely with John on the cable - most ready made seem to be the wrong length usually too long giving a spongy feel and too much inner meaning all the cable adjustment gets taken up even with new shoes.

A good cable makes all the difference.

[Tomcat]

Hi Lee,
I have been disappointed  with any of the pattern shoes that I have tried 
I try and find old stock linings or get bespoke oversize linings fitted and machine to fit the hub
There's a USA company "Vintage brakes"  I have heard they do good work
I have made shoe pads from sheet steel and never had issues with them
When I was a a poor (er) teen I used to pack out worn shoes to get some more life from them 

John

IIRC someone said the bonded brake shoes we are being supplied nowadays have car friction material bonded to them.

[RoyC]

[quote author=JulianS
most ready made seem to be the wrong length usually too long giving a spongy feel and too much inner meaning all the cable adjustment gets taken up even with new shoes.
[/quote]
That's what made me go for a rod conversion Julian.

[JulianS]

[/quote]
That's what made me go for a rod conversion Julian.
[/quote]

Roy -That rod conversion looks interesting, could we have some photos?

[RoyC]

That's what made me go for a rod conversion Julian.
[/quote]

Roy -That rod conversion looks interesting, could we have some photos?
[/quote]
The bike is not here at the moment but as soon as I get it back I will take some decent pics.
Here are a couple of clips from my library photoes.
I used a lever purchased off ebay (See pic) and got a length of stainless steel tubing, flattened it to an oval shape so that it slipped over the lever, then crushed it in the vice so that it was a very tight fit on the lever. I then shaped the top on the grinder and moulded round it with 'Quiksteel'.
Drilled a 5/16 hole through it to take a M8 allen bolt with the head cut off.
The stainless rod was off ebay, 2ft. long, I formed an eye on one end, drilled a 5/16 hole through the eye so that it slipped over the allen bolt and popped a starlock washer on the end.
I made the back brake lever from stainless steel flat bar and 1/2" rod.
Roy.

[coater87]

 Very nice work Roy,

 Better pictures would be much appreciated.

 The conversion looks fantastic, and it probably should have left the factory like that.

 If my rear brake is half as bad as people say they are, I am going to attempt to copy what you have done.

 Lee

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
On all the rod "conversions" I have seen there appears to be a weakness (flexing) where the short arm has to
go in around the frame 

A cable properly setup works fine,
Pity the pattern cable makers make them INCORRECTLY 

Its easier to modify the cable than convert to rod 

John

[trevinoz]

The factory must have thought that the cable was a problem after 7 years as they went to rod operation fairly quickly on the A65 with the same brakes.
I am going to stick with the cables as I have enough to do without the extra work for a rod conversion.

[RoyC]

Hi All,
On all the rod "conversions" I have seen there appears to be a weakness (flexing) where the short arm has to
go in around the frame.
John

Depends what is used for the short stem.
First I tried a length of allen key, that flexed.
Second a length of 5/16 stainless bolt, that flexed, then I used a length of M8 allen bolt and that has very little flexing.

Roy.